The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-01

The OK -cution was Witnessed by
twenty-five persons, including the
cfficials.
Ato O'Clock yesterday morning DR..
Powell rec lived a message from the
Jail requesting his presence at once, as
Mrs. Druse wished to sac him on q
matter OF great Importance. He inn
medistely repaired TO the cell OF The
doomed woman, who greeted him very
warmly. This attendant was requested
10 leave them in seclusioD, but refused
to do so. Sheriff Cook was appealed
10, and upon the earnest solicitation OF
DR.. Powell, he was allowed to listen TO
what MIRO. D'use had to say uuinter-
iupted. When allowed, the latter
said: "Mr. Powell, l have sent Tor you
to make a confession. Will you
lietenf"
Eyes, certainly" replied the Doctor,
and he al ones produced pencil and
paper.
THE oosFEsHoN.
"What / am about 10 cay to you has
never been made public before aud l
assUrs you on the honor OF a woman
standing on the brink Of the grave
that am speaking the truth. The
world has turned against me; but /
know / have one friend left, and that
is you. Now you must promise that
you will not say q word OF this until l
am gone. Then you can publish it
and let this cruel world know tho
truth OF the matter. don't want to
take Any more of your time than |
can help, so will begin at once. i
must take you back before the murder
and tell Of conversation had with
Charles "a atei in reference to the kill
ing OF Druse. Ii was about December
lst, on a Wednesday night. Druee
was away ns he usually WAS big part
OF the time. Gates came in and Gsked
me If | was alone. Geo'ge and Frank
were cut sliding down hill. Mary
was upstairs. Gates then asked me il
/ did not want 10 get rid of Druse. |
told him / WAS nearly dead now and
did not care what happened. He
asked mo II | had the pistol he gave
me yet. 1t was in the pantry; aud |
told him 60. l went and got it
I'd BhOwed 1t to him. He saw IL was
not loaded in all the barrels (meaning
the cylinder chambere) and ne pat in
some more cartridges and gave it back
to rae. He wanted to know if l could
6te Il, and | went to the door and
snapped it, 1t did not go OFF, for the
cartridge was no good. | put ii an.
ether and said: well, you know how
to do it, and that is enough He then
said: Now, il anything happens you
can depend on me to help you With
that he went away. He came again
on December 18th, the hight before
tho murder, and told me to hurry up
to take the first chance got. He
said / should not burn the head, be.
cause IL would leave traces, He would
take care OF that. He said he would
get Ire huckwheat at this same tims
and save any cause OF suspicion. The
next morning l saw him coming up
the road, Just az Druse SGT down to
breakfast. This was just after he
raited the AK TO strike me, and Iran
in the butterY. got the pistol and
came cat, He was sitting down at the
table. He swors awful ablul the tea
and sugar, and | raised tho pistol
and ehot. | hit him in the neck
and only stunned him. Gates then
shot through the window and he fell
TO the q lor. Gates then shot again.
only ahot once. Gates shot three or
four times. took the Ak and chopped
him up. The head was Wrapped in
paper and carried out to the woodshed.
II was put in lot OF buckwheat. The
body was all burned up, and none was
given to the pigs. That is not true
about feeding 1t to the hogs. II was
boiled and then burned. Gates came
that night and | told him what had
happened. He grasped my hand and
saidI bad done nobly, He said he
would come for the buckwheat tomor-
row murDing, which he did. He took
| Druse's head with him. IL was buried
one mile irJm Rich6eld Springs,
where l could ird il If l choose. Il
could never be found, for the secret
lice with Gates and ! alone. Charles
PETIT overheard us talking about II
onoo. but he is dead now and can't
talk. Gates is the only one who knows
snything about it, There was another
man With Gates when he got the
buck wheat, aud ii was Elwood, His
name was Bill. IL took eight hours tC
burn tae body, aud il made au awluI
smell i nearly finted severa
times Geor.e and Frank Gates
we're there some of the time. They
did NOS see much, though. sent
them d0Wn to the wood lot and had
them carry shingles. l killed Drust
because | could not stand IL any
longer. lie was brute and | had moi
slept with him in twelve years, That
ia al | can tel. Gates put up Frank
TO tell what he did tel, TO shove IL all
on me, but he will get his reward
some time. Now, You must not tel
auy one this until l am Rone, and moi
lot IL get In any paper until after Il
o'clock tomorrow. l don't care how
manv know it then. | trust to you &c
see IL is all right You can cay thai
on my dying day ] am more innocent
of the crime than those who put mt
up 10 il. | freely forgive them all
all who to cruelty deserted me. Tier,
are some names on that petition sen
from Warren which | could cover with
sh mo, but die in peace with every
one"
After she had finished DR.. Powell
out of Observance OF ths holy day, Of
fered short prayer and then took hi
leave. He deaired the above publieheC
as toln after tue hanging 10 possible
bat not before.
THE KXRCuTIoN.
HRKInER, n. Y, February 2S.-
Atll 30 O'clock The Sheritl's jury va
ordered into the Jail yard, uuder,Sher
III K ce, and the deputies ana physi
ians preceded TO Mrs. Druse's cell
when they reached there Mrs, Dus
sat weeping and holding Mary's bou
Quet ia her hands and wearing som,
Of her Sewers about her breast. Mrs
Waterman, her death watch, stood by
her side sobbing. The Rev. DR.. Pow
ell set in front Of her while her coun
sell, II, Dwight Luce, Chaplain Ours
ton aud the deputies and physiclant
stood about the door of the cell
Sheriff Cook began reading the dealt
warrant and respits Of Governor Hill
at :A a.m. Mrs D;use's pulse wst
40 at II ~. Inst before the march Il